Archive of Our Own

 Steve is sleeping. Steve is sleeping curled up on his side, all wrapped up in the comforter like a burrito - how does he even do that in his sleep anyhow? His hair is fanned out around him on the pillow and he looks like a fucking angel and Eddie is so far beyond fucked he can’t even fathom how to unfuck himself in this situation. This was not meant to happen. Not at all. Not ever. And certainly - if ever the planets aligned against him and brought this sort of hell down upon him, it was never meant to have happened to this degree, and absolutely, positively, assuredly not with the fucking guy lying in his bed right now. Not the guy that infuriates him nearly as much as he turns him inside out with desire and longing and … fondness? Fuck .  

And, to be fair, Eddie keeps doing this to himself. What is it about Harrington anyhow? What is it about this insufferable asshole that makes Harrington jump immediately to the forefront of Eddie’s consciousness upon waking every morning? Eddie shifts his position at the edge of the bed and stares down at the man curled up beside him, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the intermittent fluttering of his eyelashes as he probably dreams of new ways to infuriate and bewitch Eddie.  

Fuck . He’s completely gone for this insufferable asshole and the sooner he comes to terms with that fact, the sooner he can figure out what to do about it. He rakes his hands through his tangled curls and aggressively rubs his eyes, trying to shake these intrusive thoughts free. Eddie tentatively reaches out to brush a stray wisp of hair away from Steve’s forehead and takes a deep breath.

“Are you watching me sleep? That’s creepy,” says Steve as he peers up at Eddie through half-open lashes.  

Eddie laughs at being called out, oddly not embarrassed by Steve’s ribbing. “Yeah, well - when the view is this pretty who can blame me?” Eddie quips warmly, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Steve’s temple. “Morning, bright eyes. How did you sleep?” he asks gently, brushing the hair fully from Steve’s brow and placing another kiss to his forehead.

“Mmmm, so good. Slept so well, babe. I always do when I’m with you. You?”

“Meh. Someone kept stealing all the covers throughout the night so I was fighting a chill for most of the night. But overall okay, I guess…” he replies, grinning. “How do you manage to completely encase yourself in the blankets, Stevie? You mummy-wrap yourself in your sleep.”

Steve yawns, smiling. “Shut up. I can’t help what I do in my sleep. Besides, if your bed wasn’t so comfy maybe it wouldn’t happen.”

“Hm. I seem to recall the same situation at your place and at the hotel, but sure, baby. Whatever you say. Maybe I should try to make the accommodations less hospitable, is that what you’re telling me?”

Steve sits up and playfully nudges Eddie’s shoulder, and Eddie dramatically falls over onto his back in response. “Such a dickhead, Munson, I swear.”

“Don’t act like you don’t love it, sweetness,” Eddie giggles, grasping Steve’s hand in his and pressing a kiss to the back of Steve’s hand.  

“Yeah. I suppose I do,” Steve sighs. “Did you really not sleep well? I feel bad for stealing the covers. Sort of.”

“Nah, I slept fine. I’m just fuckin’ with you. You’re entertaining when you sleep, baby. You talk. A lot. Very enlightening.”

Steve feels the color drain from his face as he tries to process Eddie’s words. “W-wha-what? What do you mean?”

Eddie fails to suppress his laughter as he watches the wave of panic wash over Steve’s expression. “Jesus, you should see your face! Holy shit,” he gasps through laughter. “You talk in your sleep, babe. Am I really the first one to mention that?”

Steve stares down at him, horrified. “You’re joking, right? I don’t really talk in my sleep. Come on.”

“Steve … I’m not joking. You do. It’s cute.”

“What the fuck?” Steve cries, his face in his hands.  

Eddie sits up and gently places his hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Hey … Stevie, it’s fine, baby. Why are you so upset?”

“Fuck … I’m so embarrassed! What did I say in my sleep?” Steve moans through his hands, still firmly clamped over his face.

“You don’t have like - full conversations or anything. Just random words, really. It’s pretty disjointed. But it’s fucking adorable. And it’s how I know that you love …”

Steve’s head snaps upward, a look of sheer horror on his face. “What!?!?”

“… my dick,” Eddie smirks. “You love my dick, baby. Also my hands, my mouth, my fingers. Pretty much all appendages, generally speaking. You think I’m pretty. You say so all the time in your sleep. Why? What did you think I was gonna say?”

“Oh my god fuck OFF!” Steve cries out, shoving Eddie back down onto his back and clumsily extricating himself from the blankets to straddle him, laughing. “Jesus Christ you’re such an asshole, Munson!”

Eddie grins up at him and traces gentle circles up and down Steve’s sides. “Yeah, I know, baby. I know. Come on now,” he says gently, tapping Steve’s hip. “Let’s get up and get showered, then I’ll get you fed. I’m sure you’re hungry after last night. Up you get!”

Steve brushes his teeth while Eddie gets the shower going. He watches in the mirror as Eddie adjusts the water temperature and the angle of the shower heads, smiling fondly without a care in the world. And then the earth suddenly tilts on its axis, forcing him to grip the edge of the counter as the realization hits him. He’s completely gone for this man.

Eddie could very easily have told him that he had confessed his undying love during an episode of sleep-talk and Steve would have completely believed him. Because … he kind of, sort of, definitely, certainly, irrevocably and in a completely fucked up fashion … does . And this was meant to be simple, casual, no strings attached fucking and nothing more. So why does he suddenly feel breathless with the notion that he’s fallen for Eddie fucking Munson? Fuck. Now what?

Eddie steps into the shower and curls a finger to beckon Steve along. “Come on in, angel,” Eddie coos. “Let’s get our day started, hm?”

Steve thinks he sees a flicker of - something? - behind Eddie’s expression as he steps forward to join him in the shower, his cock already stiffening at the notion that this could indeed be a very good start to the day. Naked, gorgeous, fucking infuriating work of art of a man waiting for him in the shower? Yes please.

Steve steps forward and allows Eddie to guide him under the stream of the shower to begin soaping him up. He tilts his head back and loses himself in the sensation of the hot water cascading over his scalp while Eddie’s touch on his skin makes his eyes roll back. He runs his fingers through his wet hair and moans softly, eliciting a low chuckle from Eddie.

“Feel good, angel?” Eddie asks softly as he trails his hands along the plane of Steve’s pecs and around to his shoulder blades, gently kneading the muscles as he moves his hands along Steve’s soapy flesh.

“Mmmm,” Steve moans softly, allowing Eddie to maneuver his body as he pleases.

Eddie lathers Steve’s hair with shampoo and tilts his head back for a rinse, never removing his hands from Steve. The constant touch is soothing and intoxicating in equal measure, and Steve begins to lose himself to the sensation of Eddie’s light touches. He feels as if he’s floating as Eddie maneuvers his body to face the corner of the shower and moves his hands into position to brace against the cool tile walls.  

“That’s it, sweet boy,” Eddie murmurs softly as Steve senses his change in position to crouch behind him, lathering his legs from the ankle to the crest of his ass, gently massaging each leg as he works the lather into his flesh. “Be a lamb and stay put for me, hm angel?” Eddie asks gently as he nudges Steve’s legs further apart so he can reach up to massage and caress and stroke over his balls as he washes him. He’s infuriatingly avoiding touching Steve’s cock, and Steve groans with each sweep of Eddie’s hand as he almost gets there, but keeps just out of reach.  

Eddie hums a tune softly as he works, gently washing and massaging and caressing everywhere he touches, finally spreading Steve’s cheeks to gently probe as he washes Steve’s hole, causing a full-body shiver with each brush of his fingertips.  

“God, please…” Steve whines as Eddie continues his ministrations, making sure that he touches every inch of Steve’s trembling body - except for the seven that Steve desperately wants him to touch.

Eddie tuts at him as he continues to hum softly, continually teasing and caressing him as he works. “Patience, sweetheart,” he whispers as he stands once again and presses his chest against Steve’s back to wrap his arms around to cradle Steve’s pecs. “Now stand there like a good boy for me for just a moment longer, okay baby?” Eddie asks softly as he steps back under the spray of the shower heads to quickly shampoo his own hair.  

Steve whines in protest and leans his forehead against the tile, pounding his fist against the wall in frustration. “Please … I’m ready to burst over here, Eddie.”

Eddie laughs as he rinses the shampoo from his hair and applies conditioner. “So impatient, pet. It’s been like 30 seconds and you can’t stand not having my hands on you?”

Steve shakes his head and swallows hard. “Need you, Eddie,” he pants, turning to look over his shoulder to gauge how much longer he’s likely to be waiting.

“Turn around, baby. Eyes front,” Eddie says, smirking as he swats Steve’s ass. “You can wait just a few moments longer, can’t you?”

Steve huffs as he obeys and faces the wall, his dick twitching in anticipation. He licks his lips and braces his forehead against the tile once more, his muscles twitching as he anticipates the return of Eddie’s hands on his body. After what feels like hours, he feels Eddie press against his back once again as he rests his chin on Steve’s shoulder, whispering softly in his ear as he finally reaches around to grasp Steve’s cock and slowly stroke him from root to tip.  

“Is this what you were waiting for, sweet thing?” Eddie whispers gently as he strokes him. “You just need to feel my hands on you, hm?” He whines loudly when Eddie removes his hands … no no no this will not do at all.  

“Please…” he whines as he faces forward, panting in anticipation as he hears the click of the lube bottle opening and the unmistakable squelch of the liquid being squeezed into Eddie’s palm.  

“Oh just relax. Fuck sake,” Eddie laughs. “I’m just getting some lube, you fucking brat.”

He gasps as he feels Eddie’s fingertip against his rim, moaning loudly as the tip breaches him and Eddie begins working him open in time with his strokes along the length of his cock. “Oh my god, yes,” he breathes, hips bucking in time with Eddie’s movements. Eddie quickly works a second - and then a third - finger into him and Steve moans with the stretch.

He has just a moment to brace himself before he feels the head of Eddie’s cock at his entrance at the same time he removes his hand from his cock to wrap it loosely around Steve’s throat. Eddie nips at Steve’s earlobe as he slowly buries himself inside, bottoming out in one long, luxuriously slow thrust. Eddie gently squeezes around Steve’s throat and and Steve keens, his head thrown back with the overwhelming sensation of being so full.

“Mmmm, there he is,” Eddie whispers gently as he begins to slowly fuck into Steve in measured, languid thrusts. “There’s my sweet boy … god you feel like heaven wrapped around me, baby.”

Steve nods and swallows hard, gasping every time Eddie bottoms out. “Oh god, daddy. F-f-feels so good,” he pants.

“That’s good, baby. So fucking perfect. Just gonna fuck you like this, hm? Just nice and slow, baby. Come whenever you like, sweet boy. This is all for you. Take what you need, angel,” Eddie says softly as he grinds his hips against Steve’s ass, driving ever deeper into him.  

Steve is on fire , every fiber of his body alight with want and desire as he takes in the meaning of Eddie’s words. He begins bucking his hips backward to force Eddie’s cock deeper with every thrust. Eddie slightly tightens his hand around Steve’s throat and makes a slight adjustment to his position so he nails Steve’s prostate with every thrust and Steve screams, painting the wall with an explosive orgasm as Eddie continues to grind his cock into his prostate.  

“Yeah - that’s it, angel. Good boy. Gonna fuck you hard now, baby,” Eddie whispers, nipping Steve’s earlobe again. “Take a breath.”

Steve nods and takes a deep breath, bracing his hands against the tile as Eddie begins driving into him vigorously. He grabs a fistful of Steve’s hair and tugs gently as he chases his own orgasm, coming deep inside Steve with a shout, Steve moaning and shuddering as Eddie works him past the point of overstimulation and into a quivering, spluttering mess.

“Fuck, Eddie,” Steve gasps, legs shaking. “Good fucking morning to me, I guess,” he chuckles, craning his neck back for a kiss. Eddie cups his jaw in his palm and kisses him deeply, moaning softly as their tongues intertwine.

“Yes - a very good morning indeed,” Eddie replies. “Now, let’s get washed up for real now so I can feed you. You need your energy,” he says as he swats Steve’s ass playfully. “Come on, hop to it.”

“What are you hungry for this morning, doll? Sweet or savory?” Eddie asks as he opens the fridge to pull out eggs and milk.

“Hm. Well I’ve already had a pretty sweet start to my day, but as for food, I am an equal opportunity enjoyer, so I can go either way. I’m game for anything you’d like. But please let me help.”

“Absolutely not,” Eddie retorts as he pours a mug of coffee for each of them. You just sit there and enjoy your angry brown punishment water while I make you breakfast, sweetness. Still can’t believe you drink your coffee black. Blech!”  

Steve laughs and shakes his head, gratefully accepting his coffee and taking a sip. “Jesus that’s good. You don’t know what you’re missing - black coffee is where it’s at.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Eddie says through a smile as he doctors his own cup. “Okay - how about French toast casserole? I can whip it up and throw it in the oven as we enjoy our coffee. Shouldn’t take too long.”

“Sounds amazing,” Steve replies, sipping from his mug. “I really do wish you would let me do something to help though.”

Eddie grabs a loaf of crusty French bread from the pantry and turns to Steve, cocking his head to the side. “Okay, big boy. If you really want to help you can whisk the eggs for me while I get this bread prepped. Whaddya say?”

“Perfect. I’m your man,” says Steve, and Eddie nearly chokes on his coffee. He feels his face flushing red as he turns the oven on to preheat and gets Steve set up to whisk the eggs for the recipe. Fuck!

They work side by side to get the casserole prepared for the oven, playfully nudging one another as Steve asks questions about the recipe and how Eddie has come to be such an accomplished cook.

“Just sort of fell into it, I suppose,” Eddie says as he works. “When I was growing up I took an interest, so I just asked a lot of questions and watched as my uncle and extended family prepared food. Learned that I actually really enjoyed it, so… the rest as they say is history.”

Eddie puts the dish in the oven and they work together to clear the prep dishes and load them in the dishwasher. Eddie refills their coffee and motions to Steve to follow him so they can sit and relax while breakfast is in the oven.

Steve gestures toward the music room, as he’s mentally dubbed it, and smirks at Eddie. “I think someone owes me a song if I recall correctly, yes? How about now?”

Eddie smiles as he leans in for a kiss. “Of course, baby,” he whispers into the kiss. “Follow me.”

Eddie leads Steve into the darkened room and flips the lights on, motioning for Steve to make himself comfortable on the sofa. He takes a seat on the piano bench and opens the lid, running his hands along the keys to warm up with some scales.

Steve is about to snark at him for stalling when Eddie begins to play. The haunting chord progression feels oddly familiar to Steve, though he’s absolutely certain he’s never heard this song before. “Uh, Eddie…” he begins, hating to interrupt but finding his curiosity gnawing at him.

Eddie pauses and regards him inquisitively. “Yes, Stevie?”

“Uh - sorry to interrupt. It’s just … I KNOW that I don’t know this song. But I also know that I do, somehow. Is this what you were humming in the shower earlier as well?”

Eddie smiles warmly. “Yeah - I was humming this piece in the shower. And I sing it to you sometimes when you have nightmares, so maybe you’re remembering that?”

Steve nearly drops his coffee. “You… you what?”

“Yeah,” Eddie shrugs. “Sometimes when you talk in your sleep I can tell you’re having a nightmare. So I sing this to you. It usually works and you settle down right away.”

Steve can’t breathe. He feels the sting of impending tears and narrowly succeeds in keeping them at bay as he struggles to speak. “Erm… nightmares? I uh … I didn’t know.”

Eddie shrugs again and picks up his cup to sip his coffee. “Yeah, baby. It’s not a big deal. If I see you struggling I want to help if I can. It’s nothing, really.”

“Eddie …” Steve begins, his lip quivering as he struggles to keep his composure. “It’s a lot of things, but I would not say it’s ‘nothing.’ Fuck sake.” He takes a deep breath and shakes his head to try and keep the overwhelming emotion at bay. “Will you play the rest for me?”

When Eddie looks up from the piano, Steve is in tears. He quietly closes the lid over the keys and moves to sit beside him on the sofa, brushing his hair behind his ear with his fingertips. “Baby, why are you crying?”

Steve shrugs and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. “It’s beautiful, Eddie. I just … can’t believe you sing to me. It’s just a lot, you know?”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Eddie whispers as he pets Steve’s hair and pulls him to his chest, “Yeah, I know it’s a lot. It’s a lot for me too. I don’t sing lullabies to just anyone, you know. In fact, you’re the first person to even spend the night here in probably years. You just DO something to me, Doc. It’s becoming like a whole thing for me. Gonna have to do something about that, actually,” he says, smiling. He wipes Steve’s tears away with his thumb and places a gentle kiss to each of his eyelids.  

“Eddie…” Steve begins hesitantly, taking a shuddering breath before continuing, “I didn’t have the greatest time growing up. I know … shocking, huh?” He laughs wetly. “Anyhow, my folks … I don’t think they ever really wanted kids. And then I came along, and they tolerated me more than anything else. I’ve spent my life trying to prove myself - to everyone. Trying to make them proud of me, trying to make them notice me, trying to make them … love me? I guess? Robin says that’s why I always push myself so hard and I don’t ever really do anything ‘fun.’ I don’t tell you this to make you feel sorry for me or anything. It’s just … I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t feel that way when I’m with you. I don’t feel like I’m just being tolerated. I feel cherished. Valued. And I don’t quite know what to do with that, I suppose…” he trails off, voice shaking as he struggles to get the words out.

“Baby…” Eddie begins, and Steve holds a finger to his lips to silence him.

“Please - let me get this out before I lose my nerve,” he whispers, and Eddie nods silently, rubbing his back in lazy circles. “I tried to force myself not to feel this way. Not to feel ANY way, really. About you. Because you’re kind of a prick. And a total smartass. Sarcastic. Insufferable.”

“Flatterer.”

“Shut up,” Steve giggles, taking Eddie’s hand in his and raising it to his lips to place a gentle kiss on his palm. “I swear, Munson .. I hate you so fucking much. Because I’ve completely fallen head over heels in love with you, you complete asshole. And I don’t know how that happened. It wasn’t supposed to. But I can’t fucking breathe with how much I love you. Just thought you should probably know that,” he whispers, fresh tears springing to his eyes.

Eddie pulls him closer and presses a kiss to the top of his head, breathing in the scent of him. “Baby, you know I love you too, right? I mean, this wasn’t meant to happen for me either. And you’re also an insufferable prick, for the record. I suppose it’s been creeping up on me for quite a while now, but it really crystallized for me this morning while I was watching you sleep…”

“Creep.”

“Yeah yeah yeah. I know,” Eddie laughs. “Anyhow, while I was watching you sleep it hit me - how much I never want to wake up without you again. How much I’m going to fucking hate taking you to that airport tomorrow. And how much I want to have more movie nights with you - more lazy mornings with you - more sweet, domestic moments with you. You’re fucking IT for me, Doc. And yeah, it’s true - I fucking hate you too, angel. So much.”

Steve smiles brightly and cups Eddie’s face in his hands, kissing him sweetly. “You love me,” he whispers.  

The oven timer interrupts them as Eddie takes Steve’s lower lip between his teeth, kissing him through a smile. “I do. Almost as much as I hate you, sweetheart. We’ll always have the hate, baby. It’s where we started, after all. Now let me feed you, yeah?”

Eddie rises from the sofa and pulls Steve to his feet to drag him back into the kitchen for breakfast and fresh coffee. “Can we go to the museum today?” Steve asks, trailing behind his boyfriend.

“Course we can, honey. Whatever you want,” Eddie replies. “Let’s eat and then we can go anyplace you like.”

The rest of the weekend is a blur of soft, gentle sex. And laughter. And planning. And so much softness sprinkled in with edging and spankings and Eddie reducing Steve to a quivering, quaking, drooling mess several times over. Before he knows it, Steve is standing at the curb at the airport, desperately clutching to Eddie as they embrace. They’ve covered a lot of ground this weekend – it’s all out in the open now and there is no secret between them about their feelings for one another. They’ve decided to move their relationship forward in a more meaningful way, and for the first time in ages, Steve is filled with a sense of joy and hope.

“I don’t want to go,” Steve whimpers as Eddie kisses him.

“So don’t go,” Eddie replies, shrugging. “We’ll send for your stuff. Hire movers. Everything can be done remotely.”

Steve chuckles and swats his shoulder playfully. “That sounds incredibly tempting, but I do have to go back at least once to get everything sorted. Doesn’t mean I have to like it though. Besides, Robin would murder me. Like – straight up, full on murder me – if I just never came back.”

“Yeah, I know you’re right. Still sucks though,” Eddie says softly as he pulls Steve in for another hug. “You better go, angel. You’ll miss your flight.”

“Yeah – I know. I’ll call when I land.”

Eddie kisses him once more, reaching around to give his ass a healthy squeeze. “I don’t love you and I won’t miss you.”

Steve can’t hold back the laughter as he places a final kiss to Eddie’s forehead. “Such an asshole,” he giggles. “I don’t love you and I won’t miss you either, you insufferable fuck.”

“Bye, baby. Talk soon,” Eddie whispers as he pulls away to let Steve get to his flight. “Hurry back, okay?”

“I will. I’ll be back before you know it. Love you.”

 “I fucking knew it!” Robin squeals, drawing the attention of every other person at brunch, making Steve slouch in his chair with embarrassment.

“Christ, Robin! Lower your voice, huh?” Steve says, laughing.

“I’m just saying … I fucking told you. I knew you were in love with him. I’m so happy for you, Dingus. Or should I call you ‘Lovey’ now, since you’re gonna marry Thurston Howell III?”

“Jesus, shut up!”

“Oh my GOD are you gonna marry him? For real?”

“We’ve talked about it. Maybe. Gonna move out there first and talk about it some more, I suppose,” Steve says quietly, watching her expression through lowered lashes.

“Oh Stevie, I’m so fucking happy for you! Of course you know I will accept nothing less than being your Best… uh, Person?” She says, grinning widely as she sips her mimosa.

“Well, if that day does come, that goes without saying, of course,” Steve says as he smiles fondly at his best friend.

“So, what can I do to help? When are you leaving?”

“Movers come next week. I’ve already arranged everything at work so I can work remotely from KC, so that part has been handled, and I’m subletting my place here for now, so it’s just a matter of getting everything packed up. It’s hard to believe how smoothly everything has gone, but … yeah. I’m about to be living in Kansas. Who would have thought, huh?”

Robin nods, sipping her drink thoughtfully. “Well, I could have told you this was gonna happen after that first time you went out there. I mean, you’ve been completely gone for him since the first time you hooked up. Anyone could see it. Except you two morons, apparently,” she says through a smile. “Are you planning to just live at his place, or will you get something together?”

“Nah - we’re going to stay there. At least for now. I mean, the place is pretty close to perfect, Robs. No need to fix something that isn’t broken. And if we do decide to marry…”

“You mean when…”

“I mean IF. IF we decide to marry, I’ll be added to the deed and it will be our place anyhow.”

“Oh just shut up. We both know what’s going to happen. So … ring shopping? Then we pack?”

Steve blushes furiously, shaking his head through a smile. “Bitch. Okay - let’s go to the jeweler.”

“Never doubt me, Dingus,” she says as she rises to collect her things. “Pay the bill and let’s get going. We have so much to do!”

“The movers just left, babe,” Eddie says as he rounds the corner into the bedroom, stopping in his tracks as he finds Steve crouched in the center of the room, ring box open in his extended hand. He stands there slack-jawed for a beat, trying to make sense of the scene before him. Steve clicks the screen on his phone and Eddie hears the unmistakable opening notes of Maybe I’m Amazed as he stares, dumbstruck. “Stevie? Baby…what is this?”

“Eddie… I … fuck, I had a whole big speech planned and now I just … fuck,” he stammers, faltering.

Eddie crosses the room in three strides and kneels on the floor in front of his man. “It’s okay, angel. I know. I don’t need a speech. My answer is FUCK yes. Let’s get married, Doc.”

Steve throws himself into Eddie’s arms and begins to cry as Eddie kisses him.

“Fuck, Stevie … you make me so happy. Let me show you how much, hm?”

“Yeah. Take me to bed, daddy.”

“Your wish is my command, sweetness. Let’s go.”

“Hate you.”

“Hate you more, Doc.”